The nation's highways provide a means whereby millions of trucks/trailer transport and the like are freight carriers and move in a majority of cargo and commodities from one point to the other. My prior invention embodied in the above-referenced co-pending application and patent were directed to a fender installed around or over the wheels of these transports to prevent the generation and dispersement of finely divided water streams or snow mist cast from the rotating tires. Broadly, that invention included a leading plate having blade-like openings therein in combination with a back plate and/or a side plate, the side plate having openings therein; the openings of the front and side plates were adapted to direct the flow of water inwardly and downwardly with reference to the longitudinal axis of the travelling vehicle. In addition to overcoming the problem of throwing spray from the tires of the vehicle, which impaired the vision of passing or trailing motorists, the directed air streams aided in cooling the brakes of the vehicle and in reducing the drag acting on the vehicle created by the vacuum on the underside of the carriage.
The prior art is believed best exemplified by the references cited in my parent application and patent.
The present invention embodies aspects of my prior invention and includes further modifications, which significantly enhance the performance of the fender.
Broadly, this invention comprises a fender having a leading plate characterized by blade-like openings, which may be horizontal, vertical and/or both, an upper entrance air scoop, a top plate, a side wall having a plurality of louvers attached or formed therein to form compression chambers and a trailing plate, the trailing plate characterized by an exit air scoop. The front and rear air scoops, in addition to controlling and directing the flow of spray created by the tires, reduce the drag caused by the fender itself.
In an alternative embodiment where the housing is used for multi-axle vehicles, the top plate may be characterized by compression plates forming zones of adiabatically expanding compressed air to further cool the tires and brakes.
In still another alternative embodiment, the leading plate is modified to have blade-like openings alone or in combination with openings formed in the front fender and bumper(s) of the vehicle.